


Fetch

by NympheSama



Category: Endless Summer (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Fun, Fun and Games, Games, Humor, Idiots in Love, Immortality, Lighthearted, M/M, No Plot/Plotless, Randomness, Rourke bashing, Stupidity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:01:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26833360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NympheSama/pseuds/NympheSama
Summary: Taylor is bored and has a game for his friends...But who will really win?
Relationships: Craig Hsiao/Zahra Namazi, Grace Hall/Aleister Rourke, Jake McKenzie/Main Character (Endless Summer), Mike Darwin/Diego Soto, Quinn Kelly/Estela Montoya, Sean Gayle/Michelle Nguyen
Comments: 11
Kudos: 13





	Fetch

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Glamourchick1668](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glamourchick1668/gifts).



> Hi, sorry for this - I know it's not great  
> I have no idea how it got to be over 7k; it was supposed to just be something cute and funny...  
> Idk, maybe I'm just a lost cause now 😅  
> I... may take a step back from writing more permanently  
> Sorry  
> I guess I just feel a little like a let down  
> I love you all, so much  
> I hope you all know that ❤  
> I hope you can enjoy some part of this anyway
> 
> x My love to you all x

**Fetch**

Taylor sighed, throwing his arm over his eyes dramatically as he leaned against the back of his gilded, ornate throne.

"Rourke..." he sighed, equally dramatic. "Assemble my friends." He said, flicking his wrist at the elderly squire; forever trapped at the lowly position and rank due to his continued attempts to usurp the throne from Taylor's family. "You have twelve minutes to bring them to me. Don't be late."

"Of course… _sire_." Everett Rourke reluctantly dipped his head, stepping forward and then moving away with a barely concealed sneer.

Taylor hummed, throwing his legs over the arm of the throne and crossing them at the knee, bouncing his top leg thoughtfully, musing to himself as he twisted a red spike of hair through a loop of his delicate, elven crown.

Not that he was an elf, sadly, but he'd always admired the _style_ of elves. Beautiful. Endless.

Kind of like himself.

He grinned, licking his lips as he gazed at the ceiling and traced nonsensical patterns between the paintings which spread out across the high alcoves.

"Taylor, must you continue to torment my father with such impossible tasks?" The dry drawl stole his attention from the intricate artworks, his smile bright as he looked toward the great doors and saw a white haired man striding confidently toward him with the aid of a long cane. "Couldn't you find something suitably belittling? The role of court jester is still open, is it not?"

Taylor laughed gleefully, waving lazily with only his fingers as the man approached his throne. "Ah, Aleister… it warms my heart to know you've learned how to joke at last." He sighed, winking playfully when Aleister's lip twitched with the threat of a smile. "Only took you, what, forty three centuries?"

"Forty eight." A bubbly voice replied, a giggle following to drown out Aleister's quiet snort of amusement. "Your memory is terrible, Taylor, especially when it involves numbers."

"Hey, you are _so_ not allowed to sass me, little miss Oh So Cute And Curly." Taylor pouted, his eyes glittering mischievously as Grace laughed and walked over to join Aleister, her dark hand a stark contrast on his pale arm as she stretched up on her toes to kiss his cheek softly.

"Sassing you is practically our full time job." Another voice sing-songed playfully. Taylor stuck out his tongue at the new arrival, though he smiled brightly as a dainty, bare foot emerged from the wild sea of red hair in the doorway.

"Well, I hope you're not expecting much pay for said job." He replied, smirking as the red hair parted slowly around Quinn as she walked forward, seeming to stream around her like she were floating underwater.

"Oh, I absolutely am." Quinn giggled, winking at him as she came to stand a short ways from Aleister and Grace. "Don't worry, I'm keeping track of what you owe me."

Taylor sighed and threw his arm over his eyes, tossing himself back over the opposite arm of his throne to his dangling legs. "Quinn...you are a cruel, merciless minx. You take pleasure from emptying my poor, tiny purse."

Quinn laughed, shaking her head as her hair drifted around and over her shoulders like a great red cloud. "Taylor, you have to actually _pay_ me for me to empty your purse… which is most definitely _not_ tiny or poor."

Taylor grinned, peeking at his friend through his fingers. "Hmm, I suppose you must love me after all, if you stick around to mock me even pay free." He admitted, lowering his arm and swinging himself half upright to lean against the back of his throne, his legs bouncing lightly over the arm still. "Very decent of you, really. Of course, I _am_ irresistible so… there's that."

"I don't think there's been a guy existed, in the history of ever... with an ego even _half_ so big as yours, Taylor." 

Taylor's grin grew at the newest voice, his dark eyes brightening further at the sight of a familiar face. "Flattery will get you everywhere, you know." He snickered, biting his lip as a devilish laugh met his ears.

"Oh yeah, believe me, I know." Diego snorted, rolling his eyes as he walked past Quinn and leaned against the back of Taylor's throne, flicking his feet playfully. "But that _wasn't_ flattery." He added, smirking as Taylor sniffed and waved his hand at him.

"Hmm, I appreciate the unexpected, unnecessary, added bonus here and there." He said breezily. "I'm generous like that."

"Generous is one word I got for ya, aye." Taylor stuck his tongue out at his best friend, before turning a radiant smile to the newly approaching man. "Got a few others an' all though." He added with a chuckle and a playful wink.

"Now see, that's what I like to hear." He said, waving his hand toward Mike as he smirked and sauntered closer. "A little appreciation of _me_ ." He sighed, spreading his palms in exasperation. "Why can't _you_ love me like that?" He demanded of Diego, who rolled his eyes with a snort.

"I can love you and sass you in one." He said dismissively, shrugging his shoulder with a grin as he flicked Taylor's bare toes again. "I refuse to be some blind, idolising fanboy. You need someone to remind you reality exists sometimes… you know, bring you back down to earth every now and then." 

Taylor pouted, his eyes reproachful as he wrinkled his nose at his best friend. "Mike's happy to be a blind, idolising fanboy." He grumbled petulantly.

"Mike," Diego said slowly, folding his arms over his chest and glancing slyly at the man who approached and wrapped his arms around his waist from behind. "Wants to get in your _pants_ , because Mike wants to get in _everyone's_ pants."

"Ya say that like 's a bad thing…" Mike murmured, nuzzling into the side of Diego's throat playfully. "Ain't like I'd ever do more'n flirt, ya know that… 'less ya wanted me to." He said, smirking as Diego reluctantly smiled and leaned against his idiot lover. "An' if ya did somethin' more _with_ me…"

Taylor laughed at Diego's obvious adoration, despite the fact he twisted his face toward Mike and called him an idiot. "Oh God, you two are so sickening." He groaned, rubbing his stomach while puffing out his cheeks. "I think I'm gonna barf… I might have to make a royal decree, that you two can't be within six foot of each other in my presence."

Diego snorted, ignoring Mike's nuzzling against his throat as he threw his friend a withering look. "You really think that would stop us?" He scoffed, raising a brow. Taylor, we don't listen to you at the best of times… what makes you think a _royal_ _decree_ would change anything?"

Taylor huffed, turning his head to childishly avoid looking at his best friend or his flirtatious lover. "You guys suck." He muttered sulkily.

"What did we miss?" A deep voice laughed, the group turning together to find two people entering through the great golden doors, their arms linked delicately at their elbows.

"Aw, are we too late for the Taylor sassing?" Asked a pretty, petite blonde, whose bare feet seemed to float a half inch above the ground as she walked. "And here I was, looking forward to reminding you of what a handsome, empty headed idiot you are." She continued, her smile dazzling as Taylor sighed and threw himself back over the opposite arm of the throne to his feet.

"Michelle, I am _wounded_ ." He croaked, folding his hands over his heart as he blinked watery eyes at the blonde. "How could you call me..." He gasped, stifling a sob as he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand dramatically. " _Just_ handsome?"

Michelle hummed dismissively, smiling at Taylor as she tossed her golden hair over her shoulder. "Hmm, practice makes perfect." She said dryly, breaking into a broad smile when she spotted Quinn, Grace and Estela. "Ah, girls..!" She waved joyfully. "It's been so long! Quinn, your hair looks absolutely gorgeous!"

"Oh, thanks Michelle!" Quinn smiled, twisting a long coil of flaming red hair around her finger. "You know how it is," she giggled, lifting her shoulders playfully. "Can't do a thing with it!"

"But it always looks so wonderful," Grace complimented her, as she, Quinn and Michelle migrated towards each other and began to chatter warmly.

"Uh, what is..?" Taylor began, growing at the girls as they ignored him, Estela standing awkwardly at the edge of the group and only half interacting with them. "What is _this_ ? Hey, you're supposed to love _me_ and miss _me.._!"

"You're a whiny, needy little baby," Michelle sighed distractedly as she caught up with the other girls. 

" _Ahem_ ," Sean barely stifled a laugh, coughing as he grinned at Taylor's open mouthed gasp of disbelief. "What she means is, we are _all_ , very pleased we're your friends, Taylor."

"Hmph," Taylor grumbled, pouting as he glanced at the dark mans smile. "Well _some_ people could just _show_ me that every now and then…" he huffed, throwing an accusatory look toward Michelle and the others.

"But then, where would be the fun in that?" Asked the blonde, smiling back at Taylor innocently. 

Sean laughed, offering Taylor an apologetic glance as he shuffled over to greet their other friends. 

"Honestly, a man asks only that his friends love him and show him some kindness; and he's mocked for it! In his own house!" Taylor wailed, throwing his arm over his eyes dramatically and curling himself into a ball on his throne.

"Taylor," Diego sighed, rolling his eyes as he walked behind Taylor's throne and leaned down to poke at his shoulder with a grin. "This isn't a house, this is a _palace_ … theres a slight difference dude." He laughed, as Taylor scowled at him from beneath his arm.

"You know, sometimes, I really don't like you." Taylor grumbled, sighing as he lowered his arm and rolled his eyes. "You have no respect for me, whatsoever. What am I friends with you?"

Diego grinned, winking at him playfully. " _Because_ I have no respect for you, whatsoever." 

"Oh yeah," Taylor snorted, a stupid grin forming as he laughed with his best friend for a moment. 

"That," Diegi continued, bumping his fist playfully to Taylor's shoulder. "And you know that I lived you most."

Taylor pressed his lips together tightly, twisting them into a thin line as his eyes watered. "Diego," he sniffed, fanning himself with his hand. "That was so gay..!" He hiccupped, as Diego sighed and rolled his eyes. "My bestest friend… _hold me_."

"Aw damn, did we miss the part where we make Taylor cry?" Drawled a bored voice, heralding the approach of two more of their friends. 

"Why do you always have to go and ruin the moment?" Diego sighed, ignoring the new arrival as he gave his regal best friend a withering look. "You always take it that step too far…"

"Oh, like you dont, mister ' _you know I love you most_ '!" Taylor snorted back, smirking as he twisted his hair arou d his finger.

"Oh god, I swear, if you guys are gonna do the cutesy besties thing again, I'm gonna hurl." Zahra groaned, grimacing as she glanced between Taylor and Diego, though her crimson eyes danced with amusement. "And I'm aiming for _you_ , your dorkiness."

"I am so unappreciated." Taylor sighed wearily, his eyes bright with mischief as he winked at Zahra and her hulking mate. "Besides, we both know you'd aim for Diego really…"

"Try me." Zahra retorted flatly, the corners of her lips curving into the faint hint of a smirk.

"Brah, I would _not_ try her on that, chyeah..?" Craig laughed at Taylor, walking over to Sean and bumping his fist to his shoulder enthusiastically. "Last time she said that to _me_ , I ended up with a whipped cream bikini."

"Oh god, I did not need to know that." Michelle groaned, as Taylor laughed gleefully.

"Craig!" Zahra hissed, narrowing her eyes at him as shadows seemed to crowd her in darkness; all except her glowing red eyes. "You remember that talk we had, about the _inside voice?_ " She demanded.

Craig paused, shrugging his shoulder lightly. "Uh, think so… yeah, why-?"

" _You don't have one_!" Zahra snarled, the darkness around her dissipating as she turned on her heel and stormed over to join Estela at the edge of the group of girls; as far from Craig as she could get.

Diego leaned closer to Taylor with a perplexed frown. "Why is _Zahra_ embarrassed? Shouldn't Craig be more upset than her by that little, eternally scarring, revelation?"

Taylor smirked at his friend, batting his nose with his finger playfully. "Because now everybody knows that stoic, grumpy ol' Zahra, has a fun, wacky and sexy side." He said in an exaggerated whisper.

"I did not need to know that." Michelle repeated, shaking her long blonde hair around her.

"Hey, just 'cause _you're_ a vanilla queen, doesn't mean we all are." Zahra groused, her lips curved devilishly as Estela tried to hide a snort of laughter behind her hand.

"Oh, I'm a big ol' wild card myself…" Michelle replied slyly, winking at Zahra before smiling coyly at her mate. "Right, Sean?"

Sean coughed and ducked his head, hiding a smile as he blushed. "Yeah, I'm… I'm staying out of whatever this is." He chuckled quietly, jostling Craig's shoulder with his own when his friend laughed and bumped him once again with his fist.

Diego frowned at the group, watching them trade barbs and jokes from Taylor's side. "I feel like things have got _really_ out of hand somehow..." he said, shifting his weight uncomfortably as Mike made a flirtatious and dirty joke, as was his nature. "This is just… I am _so_ uncomfortable right now."

Taylor smirked and hummed noncommittally. "It's tamer than when we normally get together." He said lightly, shaking his head fondly. "Much more interesting conversations this time though… I think I'll have to check the stock of whipped cream."

"I did not need to hear that." Diego groaned, grimacing as Taylor looked up at him with a too innocent grin. "I hate you sometimes, Taylor." He grumbled petulantly.

"Oh, please. You do _not_." Taylor snickered, his grin growing as he reached for Diego's hand and squeezed lightly. 

"You don't know that…" Diego huffed, rolling his eyes. "I mean, I _might_ not _,_ but you wouldn't know it."

Taylor laughed. "I do too… just like you know I'm not so much of a baby that I actually think any of you don't love me or miss me, just as much as I do all of you."

Diego snorted and shook his head wearily. "I suppose…" he sighed with feigned reluctance, a devious grin curling the corners of his lip upward. "You really _are_ a baby, though."

"Hey! _I_ was being _nice_!" Taylor protested, snatching back his hand and pouting at Diego as he laughed.

"So was I." He said, winking playfully.

Taylor held his expression of outrage for a heartbeat longer, before he dissolved into a fit of giggles. "It's all _intentional_ ," he defended with a playful flick of his wrist. "I just _play_ baby… to fool you all, of course." He said dismissively, feigning an innocent smile and fluttering his eyelashes.

"Uh, huh." Diego replied flatly, leaning against the back of Taylor's throne and folding his arms over his chest, glancing over at their bickering friends and raising a dubious brow. "Just so you know, if dicks or other parts of anatomy come into discussion; I'm leaving, no matter what the hell you wanted."

Taylor smirked. "What if it's _Mike's_ dick comes up?" He asked slyly.

Diego snorted. "Then I'm dragging him out with me." He said, shaking his head at his mate fondly, his eyes were narrowed in playful, feigned jealousy. "That _'_ s _mine._ "

Taylor laughed gleefully; and after a moment's pause, Diego's jealous facade melted away and his laughter joined Taylor's.

"Hey look, Craig; Taylor and Diego are laughing… they must have already seen that picture, huh?" Sean teased, nudging his friend and drawing Taylor and Diego's attention. 

"Why do I already know I'm gonna regret asking; _what_ picture?" Diego said suspiciously, raising a brow at the group.

"Hey! My cream bikini was the _bomb_ , ya'll! I look bitchin'..." Craig retorted, utterly unrepentant as he grinned widely, flashing his pearly white teeth at his friends. "Check it out-"

"I will _not_ check it out." Diego snorted, holding up his palms and taking a step back, half hiding behind Taylor's throne as Taylor himself laughed.

" _Pfft_ , your loss, chyeah?" Craig snorted, stuffing his phone back in his pocket as Taylor patted his chest and tried to catch his breath.

"Damn, looks like he's chokin'," Mike commented lightly, though his innocent tone was severely countered by his devious grin and the mischievous gleam in his mismatched eyes. "Ya probably oughta give 'I'm mouth to mouth, huh?" He said to Diego, who rolled his eyes knowingly.

"You're so transparent." He said blandly, shaking his head as he glanced at Taylor with a small frown. "And this _idiot_ , will be just fine without any _mouth to mouth_ from me _or_ you." He added, looking over at his mate witheringly.

Mike shrugged his shoulders and buried his hands in his pockets, grinning unashamedly. "Can't blame a fellas for tryin'." 

Diego rolled his eyes again; and was about to respond further, when the sound of running feet and heavy breathing stole everyone's attention. "Yo… doodlejumps…" panted a rotund man, who shook out a head full of long curls and patted his chest gently, as he stumbled through the large golden entrance doors. "Did I… miss anything?"

"Just the usual, Raj." Diego snorted lightly, flicking Taylor's ear with a fond grin.

"Hey," Taylor gasped, flicking his friend back in retaliation. "No abusing the royal one..!" He giggled, humming to himself as he tried to calm his laughter.

"Aw, man… I'm sorry I missed all the Taylor teasing, guys." Raj sighed heavily, running his fingers through his curly hair and brushing it back from his face. "I was taking a nap, yeah? And I had this _dream_ … oh, doodlejumps it was so cool."

"Another space adventure, Raj?" Sean asked, grinning as he offered his palm to Craig, who slapped it with just a _little_ more force than was probably necessary. 

"Naw, dude!" Rah exclaimed, raising his palms and dragging them slowly through the air, narrowing his eyes as he began to explain his dream to his mostly captive audience. "There was this valley, yeah? And nothing ever aged? Anyway, we were explorers; Taylor even had this cool ass outfit! He looked just like Indiana Jones!"

"Uh, I would so rock that outfit… I'd look way better than Indy ever did." Taylor said with a derisive sniff, scowling at Diego petulantly when his friend flicked his ear for interrupting.

"Yeah, well, there was this waterfall; and we had to sneak behind it into a tunnel!" Raj continued, his eyes wide as he recalled the details of his dream. "And there was all this gold; and all sorts of cool stuff down there! It was like we stumbled on a pirate stash!"

"Yeah?" Michelle asked, raising a brow curiously. "Was there a pretty crown, like Taylor's? Only in _my_ size?"

Taylor winked at Michelle smugly. "There can be only one, baby." He snickered, pouting at Diego when his best friend flicked him again. "Hey, she interrupted first! Why aren't you flicking her?!"

Diego raised a brow, glancing at Micjelle before leaning closer to whisper to Taylor. "Because _she_ would snap me like a twig… besides, you're closer."

Taylor sighed and rolled his eyes, muttering to himself about the ficklety of friends. "Carry on, Raj…"

Raj nodded eagerly. "Well, then we heard these pirates coming and almost found us there, with all their gold and stuff!" He said quickly, his face twisted with authentic fear and horror. "And then we had to try and escape before they could! So Taylor had us all dress up like pineapples; and we started singing ' _Yellow Polka Dot Bikini,_ ' then Taylor turned into a pink bunny and jumped around, biting off all the pirates heads… I tell you, it was _close_ , little doodlejumps."

Silence held the hall for a long pause, broken firstly Mike's snort of laughter and then by a long, weary sigh from Diego. "Okay, I changed my mind." He said, looking over at Craig expressionlessly. "Show me your damn picture… it can melt away the memory of Raj's dream."

Mike's explosive snort of laughter set off the rest of the group; and before long even Raj was laughing with them, despite having no idea what Diego had been talking about. Eventually their laughter turned to giggles and slowed to barely repressed hums, as they all caught their breath.

"Well, not that all this wasn't great and all," Sean said, smiling up at Taylor as the group converged at the bottom of the three steps which led to his throne. "But, I'm assuming you had a _reason_ , for calling us all? I mean, other than Craig's picture or Raj's dream…"

Taylor grinned, rising to his feet with a surprisingly energetic bounce and clapping his hands together. You're right, Sean. I did indeed… but, uh, one thing first." He said, holding up a finger to his friends and winking, before arranging his expression into an irritated scowl. " _Rourke_! Rourke, get in here!"

Several seconds passed, before Everett Rourke appeared in the doorway. "You bellowed, sire?" He greeted with a matching scowl.

"Riyrke, I said I wanted my friends here in _twelve_ minutes." Taylor replied hotly, raising a brow slowly as Rourke rolled his eyes. "Raj here, arrived after _fourteen_ minutes… that's _two_ minutes later than I requested." 

"Apologies, _sire_ ," Rourke sneered, forcing a small bow. "I shall endeavour to ensure everyones swift arrival, next time." 

"See that you do," Taylor sneered dismissively. "I can still demote you to _page_ , you know. Now, begone. Go… clean out the kennels, or something." He said, flicking his wrist in clear dismissal.

" _Sire_ ," Rourke bit out, bowing his head and retreating from the room again.

"Ah," Aleister sighed, shaking his head slowly. "It is truly heartwarming to see him berated so. Thankyou for that, Taylor."

Taylor's serious expression melted away, a lopsided grin springing into place as his eyes gleamed with mischief. "That one was just for you, ya know." He said with a wink.

"And as wonderful as it is to see Rourke have his behind handed to him," Grace said, glancing slyly at Aleister as he smirked smugly. "Could we perhaps return to the reason we're all here?"

"Reason?" Taylor repeated, sniffing and looking away with feigned indignation. "I see. You need a _reason_ to come see me-"

"Taylor," Diego sighed, rolling his eyes as the rest of their friends gave a collective groan of exasperation; save for Mike, who laughed. "Get _on_ with it."

Taylor pouted at his best friend, sticking his tongue out briefly, before heaving a petulant huff. "Fine. I'm bored; and I thought we should all play a little game."

Mike's repeated snorts of laughter were barely stifled as the collective groan returned, louder as Diego joined his friends. "Taylor, come _on…_ " he complained, twisting away and lowering his arms with a dramatic swoosh. "Look, I love Twister as much as the next guy, but you can't keep calling us away from our responsibilities; responsibilities that _you_ gave us in the kingdom... just to play Twister for the afternoon." 

Taylor sniffed derisively, purposely looking away from his friend. "Who said anything about Twister? I have a _different_ game in mind." He said sulkily.

Diego looked at him with a flat, disbelieving expression. " _What_ game?" He asked.

Taylor hesitated, thinking quickly as he glanced around his other friends. "Fetch!" He said suddenly, clearing his throat and tipping his chin toward everyone as he folded his arms behind his back and gripped his own wrist tightly. "I thought we could play… uh, Fetch."

"Fetch." Diego repeated tonelessly, raising a brow at his best friend. "Is this some sort of _dig_ at my star sign..?"

Taylor feigned a wide, outraged gasp. "How very _dare_ you?!" He demanded haughtily, his eyes as wide and innocent as he could legitimately make them. "As _if_ I would _ever_ -"

"You really would, you know… you gave Sean a tree for his birthday, you gave Zahra a bunch of twigs and a 'how to make a nest' kit…" Quinn offered unhelpfully, grinning as she stifled a giggle at Taylor's betrayed glance in her direction. "I loved my mermaid fountain though." She added, as Mike snorted and turned away; though his shaking shoulders still gave him away.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up _Darwin,_ " Taylor sneered sourly, about to taunt him further when Diego wisely cut in. 

"Uh, so, anyway…" he coughed. "Just what is it you're planning on sending us to _fetch_ , here?"

Taylor paused, his lips parted as he stared across the top of his friends heads and thought quickly. "Uh," he hesitated, before breaking out in a wide smirk and spread his arms. 

"Oh… this is gonna be _so_ stupid." Estela sighed, rolling her eyes knowingly.

"Fetch me something gay!" Taylor demanded, grinning at his friends expectantly.

Diego sighed, walking around the throne and clapping his hand to Taylor's shoulder. "I win." He said blandly. 

Taylor pouted as his friends all sniggered, turning to his friend with a reproachful look. "What?" Diego asked innocently, spreading his palms curiously.

"Play _properly_ or don't play at all." Taylor sniffed, turning away with a haughty expression. "You have twelve hours. Now, go on... get out and stop being such horrible, horrible friends to me." He demanded petulantly, pouting as he flopped himself back into his throne. His lips twitched with the threat of a grin, his eyes gleaming with mischief and amusement as his friends all sighed and began to make their various exits.

"See you in twelve hours, I guess." Quinn said, giggling as she winked and then disappeared among the rippling tresses of her long, floating hair; which then swirled into a tight coil and disappeared like water evaporating in the heat.

"Rad," Zahra huffed, smirking as she spread her arms, which slowly erupted in large black feathers. "Eleven hours chill time, here we come..."

Craig laughed, nudging Sean with his shoulder before clapping his palms together loudly. With a deafening roar, he leaped forward; erupting in a shower of brown fur mid-flight and landing on all fours. The great bear waited for a small black crow to alight upon his head, before bounding away through the golden entrance doors.

"Hmm, catch you on the flip side, lover…" Michelle whispered to Sean, blowing him a kiss before she was obscured by a small whirl of wind. When the wind parted, she was already gone.

"You all get such cool abilities, it sucks… I have to just _walk_ everywhere." Taylor complained, watching his friends disappear with a small, sulky pout.

"Oh, the eternal youth, the royalty and the ability to bestow both immortality and powers onto others isn't enough for you?" Diego snorted, flicking Taylor's ear playfully.

"Well now you're just making me sound ungrateful." Taylor grumbled back sourly, rolling his eyes as Mike approached and draped his arm over Diego's shoulders while he lightly pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Seriously, don't you _ever_ stop?"

Mike smirked at him, winking coyly. "Not if I ain't summoned by his royal pain in the backside, naw." He chuckled. 

"And even then, not really." Diego added, laughing when Mike nipped his shoulder for the playful barb.

"Urgh, you're making me more nauseous than Rourke." Taylor complained. "Not that he has to do anything other than exist really…"

Diego snorted and rolled his eyes as Mike began to lead him away, walking backwards as he cocked his head at Taylor curiously. "So… how is _us_ , going on a twelve hour, wild goose chase; supposed to alleviate your boredom, exactly?"

Taylor flapped his hand at his best friend dismissively. "I'll probably torture Rourke with some demeaning tasks for awhile and then imagine some stuff you might find…" he said, shrugging his shoulder with a lopsided grin. Diego frowned, but couldn't address the issue further as his mate led him away. 

Once he was gone, Taylor's grin began to fade; a familiar loneliness creeping into his heart. He sighed, lowering his eyes to the floor and biting his lip as he picked at his fingernails. Finally, his lips twitched and he looked up from beneath his lashes, bellowing at the top of his lungs. " _Rourke.._!" 

Taylor amused himself for the next several hours, barking orders at Rourke, some tasks he might be able to complete... and others which Taylor knew he had no chance of achieving. As the final hour of his friends time limit ticked away, he found himself fidgeting on his throne; eager for their return and to see just what they might have come up with in their allotted time limit.

"Diego will probably win… maybe Quinn," he mused, narrowing his eyes in thought. "Or maybe it will be a wildcard; maybe Estela." He countered himself, grinning with anticipation.

"Why is my win such a wildcard scenario, exactly?" Taylor's heart leapt at the demanding voice, his gaze rising to see a pillar of fire twist and slowly fizzle away to reveal Estela, frowning up at him. "Dumb though this game was, I'm not about to just let myself lose." She scoffed, folding her arms over her chest defensively. 

"Oh, I know you'd never _let_ yourself lose," Taylor agreed lightly, propping his chin in his palm and leaning on the arm of his throne. "But, let's be honest here; when it comes to _fun_ and _you_ … well, your ideas of fun and mine are pretty different, Estela." He said with a small snort. "And whatever you _fetched_ me; is probably very fun to you… but to me, I'm more expecting it to be something that I'll look at and say 'oh look, something that could _kill me_ '." He continued dryly, raising a brow at Estela expectantly.

Estela locked her jaw, narrowing her eyes at Taylor defiantly, before finally glancing away.

"Ha ha, I knew it!" Taylor crowed smugly, laughing as Estela's cheeks darkened with a blush. "Oh, c'mon, Estela… you know I'll still love whatever you found, even if I do keep my distance from it." He chuckled, grinning at his friend as she rolled her eyes and her lips pulled into a reluctant grin in reply.

"Gay and deadly should really earn her a prize though," Quinn giggled, as several bubbles of water rose from the floor and merged together; twisting into a sea of red hair, from which Quinn stepped forward delicately. "I mean, that _is_ pretty impressive."

"Hmm, prizes… I knew there was something I should do while you were all gone." Taylor mused, frowning at the great golden doors. " _Rourke_! Find some prizes for everyone! Something classy, ya know; the opposite of you!"

"Ah, wonderful… my heart warms whenever I witness his utter humiliation." Aleister chuckled as he and Grace casually sauntered in, their arms linked at the elbow. "I'm glad we made it back in time to not miss that one."

"Oh, Aleister..." Grace giggled, swatting his arm playfully. "You're a bad, bad man." 

"Correction, Aleister is a strict and boringly _good_ man… he just has a wicked sense of humour buried under all that stoicism." Taylor interrupted, smirking at the amused glance from his pale friend.

"The phrase, _bite me_ , springs to mind Taylor, but I'm fairly confident you'd do it; and I'm not into your kind of depraved conduct." Aleister retorted blandly.

Taylor cackled gleefully, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "I bet you'd be into it if _Grace_ was the one who bit you."

Aleister blushed, coughing as he pointedly looked away and chose not to answer. 

Taylor hummed as he tried to calm himself, watching with some distraction as his other friends filtered back into the room. "Oh… god, I'm gonna die laughing one of these days. You guys are just too goddamn funny." He gasped, sucking in a deep breath and holding it; only to explode into another fit of giggles.

"Who broke him this time?" Diego sighed, shaking his head as he walked over.

"Aleister mostly," Michelle replied lightly, smiling as Sean's arm curled gently around her waist. "But I think it's all of us in general, to be honest." She added, leaning into her mate's embrace.

"He's not exactly wrong," Sean added, smiling as he bumped his fist to Craig's. "If he dies, it's probably gonna be laughing."

"You know, you guys can kill a mood faster than herpes." Taylor grumbled, his last few giggles fading away as he rolled his eyes. "C'mon then… what did you all _fetch_ me?" He demanded, wiggling his fingers at friends in an eager beckoning motion.

"Okay, well… I left my uh, 'entry'?" Quinn said, pausing to frown at Taylor uncertainly. "Outside... in the lagoon. It's a pair of bottlenose dolphins." She said, blushing softly when their friends laughed at her quietly.

" _Gay…_ dolphins?" Taylor asked, his hand covering his mouth with his hand to hide a grin.

"Very," Quinn giggled, smiling brightly.

"Here," Zahra said flatly, tossing something small and round toward Taylor. "That's mine _and_ Craigger's entry."

Taylor caught the object with a frown, turning over the small disc in his hand and huffing an exasperated laugh. " _Totally gay_ ," he read, shaking his head as he looked up at his friends. "I will wear this with _pride_." He said smugly, winking as he slipped the rainbow badge into his pocket. 

"Taylor, do you ever think about what you're gonna say and then… just not say it?" Sean asked, raising an eyebrow at the redhead.

"That's the stupidest thing you ever said," Michelle scoffed in reply. "The answer is obvious… of _course_ he doesn't."

"Uh, hey, less sassing; more gay stuff." Taylor said, sniffing derisively as he tilted his nose in the air and wiggled his fingers at his friends playfully. "Gimme, gimme, gimme..!"

Michelle rolled her eyes, twisting her wrist through the air and gathering a handful of light wisps; which slowly transformed into a small pot. "There you go… the most amazing, gayest of face creams ever to be created."

"What makes it so gay?" Taylor asked curiously, twisting off the lid and sniffing delicately, his brows rising as he hummed at the pleasant aroma.

"Other than the fact it's been made to go on _your_ face, specifically?" Mkchelle replied, smiling sweetly as she curled her fingers beneath her chin.

"This is going to be a theme, isn't it?" Taylor sighed, replacing the lid on the pot of cream and setting it on the arm of his throne.

"Pretty much," Sean agreed, tossing a small paper bag toward Taylor. "My uh, _entry_." He said, clearing his throat.

"Hmm, why Sean… are you blushing?" Taylor teased, laughing as his friend _clearly_ blushed further. "What do we have here- _oooh…_ " Taylor nodded slowly, dipping his fingers into the bag and flicking through the items inside. "Very nice… _very_ nice!" He said, throwing a bright grin toward his friend. "Not sure they're technically _gay_ , not specifically anyway, but, uh… I'll let them slide."

Sean snorted. "Very generous of you." He laughed quietly.

"My entry is outside, also. I _fetched_ you some gay giraffe's. Apparently Quinn and I had the same brainwave." Aleister said, dipping his head to Quinn slightly as she giggled.

"You probably wanna get that checked, Quinn… sounds terminal." Zahra said blandly, smirking as she bumped her fist to Craig's.

"Such quick wit, Zahra." Aleister said, rolling his eyes. "Ever the sharp tongue." 

"Least it isn't _forked_." Zahra quipped back, winking at Aleister with a grin.

"Here you go, Taylor!" Grace said loudly, cutting off the sniping from the pair and holding out a large paper bag. "From me!"

Taylor snickered at her attempt to end the petty squabbling, walking forward to take the bag from her gently. "Thankyou, Grace." He said, smiling as he peeked into the bag. " _Oooh…_ " he said, lifting out a very small garment on a hanger; small only because there wasn't much of it. "This is beautiful!"

"I thought you'd like it." Grace giggled, blushing as she looked away.

"Semi see through and lacey is definitely gonna get high marks from me." Taylor chuckled, slipping the tasteful lingerie back into the back and grinning broadly at the items still inside. "Complete with ears and tail? Grace, you're spoiling me." He said, handing the bag back as he turned at the sound of slowly approaching hoof steps.

Raj huffed as he walked slowly through the great golden doors, tugging at two large leather reins which were hooked over his shoulders and around his chest. He heaved and slowly pulled a huge trailer behind him, upon which was the largest cake, Taylor had ever set eyes on. "Uh, Raj..?" He called uncertainly, raising his brows when Raj gave a loud groan and pulled the trailer up to the bottom step, before dropping the leather reins with a sigh of relief.

"Oh, doodlejumps…" he groaned, laughing as he trotted away from the trailer and tossed his damp curls from his face. " _That_ was an effort, yeah?" He said, sighing as his lower half shimmered and began to shrink, slowly morphing from the body of a horse to that of a man once again.

"Damn Raj… is that a cake or some kind of monolith?" Diego laughed as he followed the trailer through the great golden doors, as Sean and Craig whistled with admiration and awe.

"Wait 'til the grand reveal, little dude." Raj chuckled, winking as he disappeared behind the giant cake.

"Damn…" Taylor mused, clicking his tongue thoughtfully. "I might have to actually let Rourke have some of that…" he said begrudgingly.

"Oof, we have hit dark times if you're gonna let him eat something other than gruel…" Diego snorted. 

"Oh please, I do not just feed him _gruel_ ." Taylor scoffed in reply, rolling his eyes as Diego strode over to join him. "Besides, I only said that I _might_ have to… I mean, I sure I can probably force down an extra few slices, just to make sure he doesn't get any."

"That's the spirit." Diego snorted wryly, nudging Taylor's shoulder with his own playfully.

"Hey, hey, less of the nudging with the royal arm there..!" Taylor protested with a grin, his brow quickly furrowing at his friend. "Hey, where's _your_ 'something gay'?"

"Huh? Oh!" Diego himmed as he stepped in front of Taylor, his back to him as he fished around for something. "A- _ha_!" He crowed triumphantly, wheeling around with a click and a flash of bright light.

"Uh," Taylor blinked, wrinkling his nose and shaking his head to try and clear the spots from his eyes. "Diego… what the heck just happened?" 

Diego smirked, fanning himself with something small and square shaped. "The gayest thing, ever to exist…" he said, holding out the small object he'd been fanning himself with.

"Wha-?" Taylor began, before snorting and rolling his eyes. "Oh, you're just _so_ funny, Diego." He said, pouting as he looked around his friends. "Actually, you've all made that joke today… I'm starting to think you're trying to tell me something."

"Taylor, we're practically screaming it in your face at this point…" Diego stage-whispered loudly.

"I object!" Taylor's witty response was interrupted by Mike's loud yell, the man's grin cocky as he strode confidently through the great golden doors and sauntered over to join Diego and Taylor by the throne.

Diego frowned. "Object..? To _what_ ?" He said, shaking his head at his mate. "Oh god, why… _why_ did I have to fall for this idiot?"

Mike grinned and shot his mate a wink. "I object to his royalness, bein' the gayest thing to ever exist…" he said, waving his brows at Taylor suggestively. 

"Oh?" Diego scoffed, raising a brow at his mate. "What, you think _you_ deserve the title?"

"Me? Heh, nah," Mike chuckled. "I'm just dandy without, but thanks for the thought, Hot Pants."

"... _Hot Pants..?!_ " Craig and Zahra snorted in barely hidden whispers, the rest of the group erupting in small snorts and giggles as Diego blushed fiercely.

"But… I got somethin' gayer'n this, monster pain in the ass over here." Mike quickly continued, shrugging his shoulder as he tipped his head toward Taylor.

"Hey, I resent that-" Taylor began haughtily, though he was quickly cut off when Mike continued.

"Presentin'... my _somethin'_ _gay_." Mike said with a smirk, gesturing toward the great golden doors and whistling sharply.

_"Oh, my god-"_

_"Wow…"_

_"No way… he wouldn't-"_

_"Is that a_ **_human_ ** _..?"_

Taylor blinked as his friends all whispered among themselves, raising a brow as a man strolled through the great golden doors, his head turning as he examined his surroundings with a vague, bored sense of curiosity. "Mike… is that a-" he asked, cocking his head as the newcomer locked his bright, cerulean eyes onto him as soon as he spoke. "Uh, who _is_ this… exactly?"

"This," Mike said, clapping a hand to the strangers shoulder, though the man barely seemed to notice, his gaze intently focused on Taylor. "Is a buddy o' mine from uh, well… uh, from _before…_ " he coughed awkwardly, scratching beneath his chin guiltily.

"Oh god… Mike, _please_ tell me you didn't time travel and pluck this guy out of history…" Diego groaned, burying his face in his hands. "To win a stupid _game-_ "

"Hey, I done stupid shit for less," Mike countered, biting his lip when Diego looked up at him again sharply.

"That _doesn't_ do anything to help your case here, Mike!" He growled at his mate, who hurried to raise his palms in placation. "You could've already ripped the world apart with a goddamn paradox!"

"Alright, alright, look…" he said quickly. "His name's Jake, 'kay? He was me bunkmate in the Navy… an' one day; _he_ _disappeared_." He said pointedly, pausing to spread his palms suggestively. "I admit, I always thought there were more to it than time travellin' an' winnin' at a dumbass game… but, this was just his fate."

Taylor summed thoughtfully, taking a step forward. "What makes you say that?" He wondered, walking around Jake slowly, appraising him as the man himself waited quietly.

"Well… just made sense, ya know?" Mike said, shrugging his shoulder dismissively. "I was thinkin' on this _somethin' gay_ , business an' he was me first thought… I thought 'bout his disappearance some more'n figured this was the most logical thing could've happened to him."

" _This_ was the most logical thing that could have happened? Really?" Taylor snorted, concluding his circle and examining Jake almost as intensely as Jake seemed to be scrutinizing him in return. "And I don't think he _looks_ so gay… are you sur- _eeep_!"

Taylor gasped as Jake slipped forward with movements quicker than a snake. By the time he'd blinked and noticed that the man had moved, _Jake_ had already… licked his cheek.

Craig guffawed loudly, while Zahra, Sean and Michelle laughed openly and even Quinn giggled; as Taylor flushed a pretty shade of crimson.

"Ya'll saw, right?" Jake drawled, raising a brow to glance back at Mike, who had covered his mouth with his hand and was laughing silently. "I licked him… makes him mine, yeah?"

Taylor's face burned further as even Diego sniggered with amusement. His mouth opened and closed, but no sound escaped him.

"Well, I'll be damned…" Diego muttered, grinning broadly. " _Taylor_ is actually _speechless."_ He laughed, setting off the rest of their friends again.

"I still can't believe this guy basically called dibs on him by _licking_ him…" Quinn gasped, leaning on Estela for support.

Taylor glanced around, clearing his throat as he tried to pull himself together. "Uh, yes, well…" he sniffed awkwardly, his fingers brushing his cheek softly. "That's… pretty gay." He conceded weakly, his heart thudding loudly as Jake threw him a cocky, lopsided grin and a wink. "But, I mean… I should really make sure he's _really_ gay. I mean, gay enough to beat everyone else's, um… entries…"

Taylor bit his lip, locked into an intent stare with Jake for several long heartbeats, before quickly sucking in a deep breath and blinking quickly as he turned to find Grace. "Um, I think… I might need that." He said lightly, ignoring the wrinkling of Aleister's nose and Grace's giggling as he took the bag with her entry inside.

"Uh, it's… it's this way." He said, coughing as his lips twitched into a grin, walking around Jake and snagging him by the elbow as the man smirked and stuffed his hands into his jacket pocket.

"Lead on, Princess." Jake murmured, as Taylor bit his lip and desperately tried to keep his knees from buckling.

"Oh, uh, one second…" he said suddenly, dashing back to Diego. "Here," he whispered, thrusting his crown into his best friends hands. "I have this feeling that a _lot_ of stuff is gonna get broken…" he hissed excitedly, as Diego snorted and laughed. "Just… pretend to be me for a couple days, you'll be fine. Thanks!" He said quickly, kissing Diego's cheek before turning to dart away again.

He paused, looking at the bag by Sean's feet. Hmm," he grinned, winking at Sean as he ducked to snag the bag quickly; and striding away to the familiar sound of his friends laughter.

"Welp," Diego sighed, shaking his head as Mike smirked and sauntered forward to pluck Taylor's crown from his hands, setting it gently on his head with a wiggle of his eyebrows. "I guess you won then…" he said, watching Taylor and Mike's soon to be immortal friend slipped from view.

"Had a feelin' I was on a winner." Mike agreed smugly, shrugging a shoulder negligently.

"How well do you know him?" Diego asked frowning at his mate uncertainly. "Are you sure he can be trusted? That he won't hurt Taylor?"

Mike slung his arm around his mates shoulders. "I trust him more'n anythin'... he's like me own brother."

"You hate your brother." Diego scoffed.

"He's better'n me own brother." Mike adjusted, grinning at Diego warmly. "Trust me, Hot Stuff… they're two peas in a pod."

Diego hummed, still uncertain but trusting his mate's judgement. He was just tilting his head back to accept a kiss, when he was startled by a loud bang.

"And… _presto_ !" Raj yelled, grinning as he stepped around his mammoth cake and gestured toward it with both palms. "I give you… _something gay_!" He cried, as the top of the cake erupted in a fountain of colour; icing exploding from the top and pouring down over the sides to colour the cake all the shades of the rainbow.

Diego and his friends stared in awe for a moment, before he glanced sideways at Mike and whispered quickly. "You should probably tell him…"

"Hey, Muffin Man," Mike called, grinning as he winked playfully. "Maybe next time, aye?"


End file.
